What is the secret to these CV axles?

Trying to do the ECGS bushing, cannot get this damned thing out.

At least on my Xterra, it was just bolted to the diff.

 

You need to try different positions. If it’s not coming out, rotate it about 15° and try again. Eventually, it will be in the correct orientation and pop right out.

 

I've turned it all the way around. It doesn't help that I'm doing this with just jack stands so I don't have a ton of leverage.

 

Another way is to engage the notches on the CV cup with a pry bar and hammer on the pry bar like a chisel.

 

I got a slide hammer from the auto parts store and used one of the U shaped attachments as a wedge that I hammer in between the CV and the diff housing.

 

Use a huge screwdriver or pry bar, against the notches of the CV and smack the screwdriver or pry bar with a BFH. Don't be gentle, it takes some good whacks. As others have said, try rotating the CV if you're not making progress.

 

Yeah I'm getting a loaner see if that works

 

Been doing that. I don't have a ton of leverage though.

 

You'll get it... just keep at it. I laid under the truck, head first from the passenger side... try different positions. Sometimes they're stubborn.

 

Ive never been able to make this method work.

 

3x champion myself, on 3 different trucks.

I was actually thinking about making a tool that would slide into the CV notches and provided a strike plate, for even easier removal.

 

I’ll second this, I used a pry bar and a mallet on the notches and popped it free. Keep rotating if it’s not coming loose after a few whacks. There’s a little spring collar in there that you have to pop free with enough force. I was a little paranoid being under there while hammering so I had jack stands and my floor jack as a backup. Good luck!

 

I have jack stands and I put my tire under too.

Still can't get it, the removal tool doesn't really fit. Been hammering away and prying and everything for an hour before I got that tool. I may just have to do the rest of the lift and have toytec or someone do the bushing. I hate doing that, but this damn thing won't budge. Running on the stock bearing for like 2000 miles shouldn't kill it I doubt.

 

Oh gotcha. The bushing isn’t totally needed while lifting. Some people eventually need it some don’t. 2k miles should be fine.

 

Yeah, tired of fighting with it. Need the proper tool, but can't get it =/

Oh well, got the axle all put back in and the 6112's and SPC's installed on the driver side. No problems with any of that, save that stupid bracket under the battery is a PITA for getting the UCA bolt out.

 

- Using a small cold chisel there's about 1/8 to 3/16 area around the "tulip" (end of CV) and the diff housing where you can get a good "bite" between the two parts without damaging any seals or seats. A few taps with the chisel between the face of the diff and the "tulip" on the end of the CV joint, and it pops out fairly easy. You are basically "wedging" the cold chisel parallel between these two points to separate the joint. I've used this method on probably 6 or so CV axle swaps over the years, and it's the easiest, least frustrating method I've found. Just be careful not to go in too far and damage the silver outer dust seal seat on the end of the CV.

- When putting the CV back in, there are notches on the end of the tulip (see pic below) which allow you to get a cold chisel on them, and tap the shaft back in. Tap, turn, tap, turn....and within a few whacks, it will pop back in and seat without breaking a sweat (or part of the truck).

 

I was trying the chisel on the notches to get them out. I didn't want to damage the axle by pounding anything in the gap. It seemed like there is a metal piece in there that is fairly fragile.

 

The end that goes into the transmission is splined and has a ring at the end. When inserting it in, you have to push turn push turn push turn repeat. Removing it is a pita. I wedge a chisel and tap tap tap.

 

There is the dust seal flange (the thin silver disc) that you don't want to bend or damage. But if you insert the cold chisel just so it gets a little bite on both the edge of the axle housing on the diff and the face of the CV (without pinching the silver dust seal seat), give it a few solid taps, it should pop out without damaging anything.

Not sure if I am being clear, so here's a little pic I drew up. Done like this I've never damaged anything, and it comes out pretty easy.

 

I had to fight them a bit the chisel method worked on the passenger side but the driver was a pia. I’ll post a pic of the tool I used. You just gotta keep working with it and it will go. That little piece of metal your talking about pops off the axle and you can hammer it back into shape as long as you don’t bend it up to much just be careful with your diff. Also when you get the needle bearing out make sure it’s intact mine broke apart and I had to fish out a couple pieces of it.